Rhode Island Offshore Invitational Live Updates
The penultimate stop of the Atlantic Division regular season is under way from the Sailing Capital of the World
A short ride from Falmouth, Massachusetts, six of the seven Atlantic Division angling clubs have made their way to Newport, Rhode Island. Sportfishing takes center stage in the sailing capital of the world.
You read that correctly; six of the seven. We’re hoping the Rhode Island Breakers make it to compete this weekend. Other than the late sea trial with their boat, rough conditions from where the boat was being serviced in Wanchese, North Carolina mean they may try to make it north to fish Saturday and Sunday. In the meantime, the Atlantic’s newest club is staring at another scratch.
There’s a lot on the line this weekend, being the penultimate stop on the Atlantic Division schedule:
South Florida Sails and New Jersey Sea Birds can take one step closer to punching their ticket to Cabo San Lucas for the Zane Grey Championship Playoffs.
TO CLINCH
South Florida Sails need to finish 3rd or better in final 2 Atlantic Tournaments, and the New Jersey Sea Birds MUST FINISH AHEAD OF LIGHTS OUT BOSTON
STILL IN THE HUNT
Lights Out Boston need to win the final two tournaments and hope for the New JerseySea Birds to finish worse than second place. The final 2 tournaments with Lights Out victories and Sea Birds’ runner-ups would trigger a tiebreak scenario due to a hypothetical tie in the season standings.
BOUNDARY: 150 Miles from the Narragansett Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy. (41°23.005'N • 71°23.363'W)
DAY 1: FRIDAY, JULY 24
*all times Eastern (ET)
5:00 AM: OFF GO THE BOATS. Well….five of the six. North Carolina Flare identified an issue requiring a new battery, so they are delayed in leaving until West Marine opens to buy and install a new battery.
Order of departure: Lights Out, South Florida Sails, East Coast Remix, New Jersey Sea Birds, South Carolina Outcast.
7:00 AM: North Carolina Flare leave the dock with their new battery.
10:55 AM: SOUTH CAROLINA OUTCAST START WITH A WHITE MARLIN DOUBLE! First on the board is the club that ended hot in Cape Cod. A historic blue marlin double last week to a white marlin double and 200 points courtesy of Steven Lackey and Trey Kemmerlin.
The Outcast are without Captain Stuart Lackey this weekend due to a family emergency. We wish them well through a difficult time. Steven Lackey ran the boat out to their fishing area and another member of their crew is at the helm while fishing.
11:06 AM: SOUTH FLORIDA SAILS START WITH A BLUE MARLIN! Which means we have a new leader. Lee Albarty gets the release and the leaders are cooking to start.
11:21 AM: A third white marlin for South Carolina Outcast bring them within 150 points of the Sails for the lead. That’s Steven Lackey’s second release of the tournament.
DAY 1 LEADERBOARD AS 12:00 PM:
South Florida Sails - 450 Points
South Carolina Outcast - 300 Points
New Jersey Sea Birds
Lights Out Boston
East Coast Remix
North Carolina Flare
Rhode Island Breakers
2:40 PM: New Jersey Sea Birds are hooked up live on YouTube as the broadcast goes to break. It looks to be a multiple hookup of some sort while we look for species confirmation.